World Test Championship (WTC) Explained: ICC's Two-Year Cycle, PCT Rankings, Finals and How It Works
A complete guide to the ICC World Test Championship — how the two-year cycle works, what PCT (percentage of points) rankings are, which teams qualify for the WTC final, and the results of the first two cycles.
The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) is the international Test cricket league structure that provides context and competition across the full Test match calendar. Launched in 2019, the WTC runs in two-year cycles, with all nine Test-playing nations (plus Afghanistan and Zimbabwe in some contexts) accumulating points from Test series played during the cycle. The two teams with the highest PCT (percentage of available points won) at the end of the cycle meet in the WTC Final, typically in June at a neutral venue. The ICC introduced the WTC to give meaning to individual Test series beyond their own context — creating a pathway to a world title for Test cricket, which had lacked an equivalent to the ODI and T20 World Cups.
How PCT Rankings Work
The WTC uses PCT (Percentage of points available) as its ranking metric rather than raw points totals, to account for the fact that different teams play different numbers of Test series during a cycle. Each series has a points allocation determined by the number of Tests in the series (larger series carry more points). In a five-Test series, points available are approximately 60-72 per team; in a two-Test series, fewer points are available. A win typically earns 12 points (in a five-Test series allocation), a draw 4 points, and a loss 0. PCT is calculated as: (total points earned) ÷ (total points available) × 100. A team that wins every Test in every series would finish with PCT 100; a team that wins half its Tests typically finishes with PCT 50-60 depending on draw/loss ratios.
First WTC Cycle: 2019-2021
The first WTC cycle ran from August 2019 to June 2021. New Zealand topped the WTC standings at the end of the cycle, with India second — both teams qualifying for the inaugural WTC Final, played at Ageas Bowl, Southampton, in June 2021. New Zealand defeated India by 8 wickets in the final, with Kyle Jamieson taking 5/31 in India's second innings as India were bowled out for 170, leaving New Zealand needing 139 to win. New Zealand's triumph was celebrated as validation of Test cricket's new competitive structure. The cycle was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which cancelled or rearranged several series; the ICC adapted points calculations to account for incomplete series.
Second WTC Cycle: 2021-2023
The second WTC cycle ran from August 2021 to June 2023. Australia and India qualified for the second WTC Final, played at The Oval in June 2023. Australia defeated India by 209 runs — Travis Head scored 163 in Australia's second innings, and Nathan Lyon took 8 wickets across the match to be the key bowling contributor. For Australia, the WTC title completed a grand slam of ICC major tournament victories across formats: they had won the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, and the 2023 WTC Final within an 18-month period — an unprecedented accumulation of ICC tournament titles. India, defeated finalists in both WTC cycles, had the added frustration of the 2023 ODI World Cup final loss to Australia.
Third WTC Cycle: 2023-2025
The third WTC cycle began after the 2023 final and runs to June 2025. South Africa and New Zealand qualified for the WTC final of this cycle. South Africa beat New Zealand in the WTC 2025 Final at Lord's by a crushing margin to claim their first-ever ICC world title across all formats — an historic achievement for South African cricket. The ongoing cycle continues to provide a competitive framework for all Test nations, ensuring every bilateral Test series contributes to a world title pathway.
Frequently asked questions
How does the World Test Championship work?
The ICC World Test Championship runs in two-year cycles, during which all major Test nations accumulate points from Test series played against each other. Each series has a points allocation based on the number of Tests; wins earn approximately 12 points, draws 4 points, and losses 0. Rankings are determined by PCT (percentage of available points won) to equalise teams that play different numbers of series. The top two teams in PCT at the end of the cycle meet in the WTC Final — a five-day Test at a neutral venue — for the world title.
Who has won the World Test Championship?
New Zealand won the first WTC Final in June 2021, defeating India by 8 wickets at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton. Australia won the second WTC Final in June 2023, defeating India by 209 runs at The Oval, London. South Africa won the third WTC Final in June 2025, defeating New Zealand at Lord's. Each cycle is standalone — a new points tally begins after each final, so champions do not carry forward advantages.
What is PCT in the World Test Championship?
PCT in the WTC stands for 'Percentage of points available' — the metric used to rank teams rather than raw points. PCT = (points earned) ÷ (points available to that team) × 100. It ensures that a team that plays fewer series is not penalised for having fewer opportunities to accumulate points. A team winning 70% of available points in 8 series ranks higher than a team winning 60% of available points in 12 series, even if the latter has more raw points.